Since 2015 the Integration and Migration Foundation has been organising free Estonian courses at the A2, B1 and B2 levels as part of the ‘Activities supporting integration in Estonian society’ project of the European Social Fund. Everyone who was interested in taking part in the courses was able to register for them last summer. Over a period of three months a total of 5961 people put their names down for the courses on the Integration Foundation website.

2201 people registered for studies at the B2 level; 1909 at the B1 level; and 1851 at the A2 level. 3873 of those who registered marked their place of residence as Tallinn, while 1665 were from Ida-Viru County.

540 people whose Estonian was at least at the A1 level were given the opportunity to commence language studies in autumn 2015. Courses are being organised in Tallinn, Narva, Jõhvi, Kohtla-Järve, Sillamäe, Ahtme, Tartu and Pärnu until summer 2016 by the NPO Atlasnet.

In 2016 MISA has organised Estonian studies for 2000 people who registered for language courses. The courses were divided between 125 groups in Tallinn, Narva, Jõhvi, Kohtla-Järve, Sillamäe and the Kohtla-Järve district of Ahtme as well as Tartu and Pärnu. The courses were run by Keelepisik, Mitteldorf, the EDUKOOL foundation, Folkuniversitetet Estonia and Atlasnet.

Language courses for a further 2520 people are planned to take place between autumn 2016 and the end of 2017. In Tallinn they will be conducted by OÜ Multilingua Keelekeskus and OÜ Mitteldorf. In Ida-Viru County (including Narva) the courses will be run by the NPO Atlasnet.


How are the courses organised, and how are groups put together?

1. The details of those who registered for the courses are being forwarded to the organisers by the Integration Foundation in the order in which they registered, taking into consideration their indicated language level, place of residence and preferred starting time.
2. The trainers then contact the participants personally to arrange placement testing and with regard to commencing their studies.
3. Before the courses start, the organisers arrange placement testing for all those who have been accepted in order to be able to put groups together.
4. The relevant language company then informs the participants of the start date and time of the course.
5. Groups are opened once a sufficient number of participants have been found (the minimum being 15 people).
6. Not all groups at all levels will commence studies in all areas.
7. Studies – 120 academic hours over five months, preceded by level testing. Lessons will be held 2-3 times per week, with each lesson lasting 2-3 academic hours.
8. The details of new students are forwarded to the organisers by the Integration Foundation in registration order as new groups and free places open up (should placement testing reveal that a student’s level is below the minimum requirement of A1, for example, or if somebody pulls out of a course).

Free Estonian language courses at the A2, B1 and B2 levels will continue to be provided by the Integration Foundation until 2020. 

You can also take a look at the FAQ regarding the organisation of language studies.